by Jane Tesh
The women exchanged glances. “Well,” one said, “we’re having trouble finding someone to play Mrs. Ross. Since Amanda’s playing Emmaline, we have to find someone who looks as if she’s old enough to be Amanda’s mother.”
“Why not go with a younger Emmaline?”
“Amanda’s Emmaline, or there’s no show.”
“Here’s the thing,” Jerry said. “You ladies put up the money for the show, right? That means you’re in charge. If you don’t like something, then you withdraw your support.”
“But that means Rossboro wins,” another woman said.
“No, that means if you play your cards right, you get the show you want.”
There was silence around the table.
“What does Amanda have on you that makes you do whatever she says?” I asked, then answered: “You’re all very wealthy, very influential women. You control Flower of the South. Even if it’s Amanda’s idea.” And it was Constance’s idea first, I wanted to say. “Amanda can’t have the show without you. If I were you, I’d look into this one-hundred-thousand-dollar grant she received and make sure it has the Society’s name on it and not hers.”
“The signature card…” Eloise said in alarm, and the other women gasped. “Has anyone looked at it lately?”
“Signature card?” I asked.
“For the Improvement Society bank account. The bank requires names of persons who can sign the checks for the organization. If Amanda’s name is on the card, she can withdraw funds. She could say it was for general operating or production costs or a consulting fee and put it right into her pocket.”
I’d wondered how Amanda was going to get her hands on the cash. “That’s how she can siphon off all the grant money.” I let that sink in for a moment.
There was another long uncomfortable pause. Then Eloise met my gaze. “Could we have a few minutes to discuss things privately?”
“Of course.”
Jerry and I retreated to the kitchen. “I can’t believe they’re just now figuring that out.”
“We incredibly wealthy people have trouble dealing with ordinary problems.”
I laughed and gave him a push. “You gave up that wealth.”
“And now I can deal.” Then he started laughing.
“It wasn’t that funny,” I said.
“No, you reminded me of something. At the theater when we caught Megan, you pushed the witch into the oven—well, technically it was a pit, but that’s how you got her.”
“We got her. That was some sneaky ankle-grabbing.”
“Let me grab your ankles.”
“No! You know I’m ticklish down there.”
“Madeline,” Eloise called, “we’ve made a decision.”
We returned to their booth. The women were all smiles.
Eloise had gained a new spirit. “We’ve decided to take control of the outdoor drama. I’m going to the bank right now and change the signature card. Then we’re going to write down our demands, and if they aren’t met, Amanda will be thanked for her efforts and dismissed. We still have Jerry’s songs, and we’re going to ask one of the younger women who auditioned to be Emmaline. It’s much more historically accurate.” She added slyly, “And if Amanda wants to be in the show, we have the perfect part for her. She can play Emmaline’s mother.”
Jerry and I left the Improvement Society congratulating themselves and planning their next move.
“Ding, dong, the witch is dead?”Jerry said.
“I wouldn’t put it past Amanda to have another scheme up her sleeve. She’ll find a way to take the grant money and run.”
Annie approached, her expression unreadable. “Can I talk to you, Madeline?’
“Of course.”
Orders had piled up, so Jerry hurried back to the kitchen. Annie and I sat down in the same booth we’d chosen for our earlier conversation.
“Britney wanted me to talk to you. She wanted to thank you for not saying anything to her mother.”
“I told her I wouldn’t.”
“She’s heard all this about Constance Tate. She knows once all this dies down, it’s only a matter of time before the police come asking about Eric.”
“She told me she was with you that night.”
“That’s true, Madeline.” Annie looked down at the table, took her cloth, and wiped up a circle of water. “He wanted me to go with him one time. I said no. I knew what he was doing. I told Britney, but she laughed and said she didn’t care.”
“She cares now.”
“Yeah, she does.”
“Will she be able to talk to her mother about this?”
“Her mother is so overprotective, I doubt she will.”
“What about Eric’s phone? Britney was very concerned someone else might find it and use that video against her. Do you know anything about it?”
“It has a bright yellow-green cover with skulls on it.” She took a deep breath. “I’ve seen it, Madeline. I know where it is.”
***
Lauren Garrett’s office was still orderly, the Bibles and books on religion still straight and neat on the shelves. The stained-glass picture of Jesus still smiled peacefully down on the lambs.
Lauren looked up from her computer. Her expression hardened as she stood. “I need to have a word with you. I do not appreciate you accosting Britney at school. If you don’t leave her alone, I’ll get a restraining order.”
“Did she tell you I came by?”
“She didn’t have to. Several people called to let me know you were in the parking lot.”
Did Lauren have a spy network to help her keep an eye on Britney?
“Why would you want to talk to her? She had nothing to do with Harold Stover’s murder.”
“I wanted to ask her a few questions about Eric Levin.”
“She doesn’t know anything about him, either.”
“Maybe not. But you do.” I took the bright yellow-green pieces of plastic from my pocket and put them on her desk. The pattern of skulls grinned up at her.
She recoiled. “Where did you get that?”
“In your garbage.” Check the trash cans, Annie had said. When I helped Britney with her chores, I saw the broken phone case. I knew it couldn’t be Britney. That left only one other person. “I guess you smashed the phone. I don’t blame you.”
She sank back into her chair. “I always check on Britney’s friends. When I found out that little creep was bragging about his conquests on Facebook, I told Britney she would be next and to stop seeing him. She didn’t listen to me. Then Clover’s mother told me she’d overheard Britney telling Clover what a wild time she’d had in the woods with Eric, and Clover warning her that Eric had made sex tapes of former girlfriends. Now Britney is pregnant with his child! I did what I had to in order to protect my daughter.”
“You cooked up rhododendron leaves.”
“I remembered something useful from my coven experience, yes.”
“And the symbols were to throw suspicion on the Parkland Coven.”
“Why not? Our old coven was disbanded, and we certainly didn’t have that kind of thing going on in Celosia now. Of course the police would think it was the Parkland Coven.”
“Why the vineyard?”
“It’s a nice quiet place, a very large place. I told him to meet me there. I said I would pay him whatever he wanted for his silence. The greedy little bastard believed me.” A wry smile twisted her mouth. “He got his money, all right. I put money symbols all over him. Then I took his phone.”
“How did you poison him?” I couldn’t see Eric Levin munching on rhododendron leaves.
“Our first meeting was here in my office around five-thirty. I’d noticed before he always carried a certain brand of sports drink, so I had one handy while we discussed how much money he wanted to keep quiet. It was a s
imple matter to add rhododendron nectar, just enough to make certain he wouldn’t give me any trouble later.”
“Later?”
“I said I’d get the money and bring it to him, but not at the church. Somewhere more private. He agreed to the far side of the vineyard as a meeting place where no one could see us. It takes about six hours for the poison to take effect. By ten-thirty, he was beginning to feel it. He was no longer a threat.”
“That’s when you stabbed him.”
“I wasn’t sure the poison would do the job. Britney knows nothing about any of this. I made sure she was at Annie’s with Clover.”
Lauren had ruthlessly planned every step. “Have you always controlled every aspect of Britney’s life?”
“What else could I do? Her father left when she was five and gave me no help whatsoever. I know the dangers a young girl faces in this world.” Her voice became bitter. “Even after all my vigilance, she runs off into the woods with this idiot and now she’s pregnant.”
Britney had been so careful not to let her mother know any of this. “How did you find out?”
“Clover’s mother overheard them talking about a trip they made to Parkland. Whoever they met there had given them a list of abortion clinics and the number for Planned Parenthood. They were discussing what to do.”
Clover’s mother was as overprotective as Lauren. “Did she also know Clover was lending Britney money to pay for Amanda’s silence?”
Lauren sat up straight. “What? Amanda’s silence? What are you talking about?”
“Eric Levin wasn’t the only one blackmailing Britney. Amanda knew about this video.”
She slowly got to her feet. “So I guess I’ll have to get rid of both of you.”
This time I did not have Jerry hiding in the closet. “Why don’t I call the police and let them sort this out? Chief Brenner likes to solve these cases himself. He’s told me not to interfere, so I doubt he’ll believe a word I say.”
She reached into her desk drawer and pulled out a gun. “No, I think we’ll say Amanda shot you. That’ll take care of both problems.”
“You have a gun at church?”
“We’ve been broken into a couple of times, and I’m often here alone. I decided I needed a little protection.” She motioned toward the door. “Let’s go.”
During my pageant days, I’d once broken up a fight between Miss Roadway Diner and Miss Sweet Potato Pie by grabbing Miss Congeniality’s overlarge trophy and whacking the two queens apart. I didn’t have a trophy handy, but I did have the statue of Jesus on the little table by the door. Assuming a posture of defeat, I made my way slowly to the door, then quickly snatched up the statue and swung it, sending Lauren’s gun flying in one direction and Lauren in another. She fell with a groan and didn’t get up. I scooped up the gun and returned the statue to its place.
“Thank you, Lord.”
Lauren rolled over on her back, her voice choked with tears. “Madeline, you have to understand! I had to protect my daughter.”
“Next time, try talking to her instead of everyone else,” I said. “Only I don’t think there’ll be a next time.”
***
At Deely’s that Saturday, the news of Lauren Garrett eclipsed Megan’s attack on Amanda and Constance as Harold’s murderer.
Waffles were on the menu today, and Jerry brought me my order. “Word is already out that Amanda turned down the role of Mrs. Ross and is currently in negotiations with the Rossboro Arts Council to play Emmaline in their production.”
“Taking advantage of Joanie’s accident.”
“We’d be surprised if she didn’t, wouldn’t we? Did she pay you?”
“Yes. I found an envelope under my office door this morning with a check and a curt thank you note. I’ll bet that check bounces.”
“Better not. Do you suppose she suspects that you were the one who set the Improvement Society on her?”
“No, I think Eloise set her straight.”
Jerry returned to the kitchen. I listened to the hum of voices around me, the clank of silverware, and the occasional complaints from the Geezer Club in the corner. Amanda’s plans were finished in Celosia; Constance was in jail for murder; Lauren was in jail for murder; and as for Megan, Amanda dropped all charges against her sister. Megan was under psychiatric care and responding well to medication. At least Harold’s money would benefit all those charities. That was the only good thing I could think of to come out of all this mess.
I surveyed the diner, wondering which one of these people would be the next to snap. I had my work cut out for me here in Celosia. Now if I could think of a way to control everyone’s emotions, there’d be no more murders. No, wait. Isn’t that what got Lauren into so much trouble, trying to control Britney’s every move? Britney. I couldn’t think of her without feeling I’d let her down. Her father appeared from wherever he’d been all these years and took her with him, sparing her any further embarrassment. I hoped she would be able to make the right decision regarding her unborn child.
“Ready?” Jerry asked, breaking into my thoughts.
“Ready.”
We had decided to go to Peaceful Meadow, find a nice spot in the woods, and bury the baby rattle. The meadow was filled with flowers and sweet smells. I picked a handful of daisies. The forest was cool and filled with patterns of light from the green leaves. We found a place in a grove of pine trees. Jerry had brought along a trowel, and he dug a hole at the base of one of the trees. I placed the rattle gently on the soft earth. He covered it, and I spread the daisies on top. We stood for a while, not knowing what to say, until Jerry began to softly sing the angel lullaby from Hansel and Gretel, adding his own words.
When at night I go to sleep,
Fourteen angels watch do keep.
Angels all around me,
Now at last have found me.
We walked back through Peaceful Meadow to the Jeep. Jerry got in, but I stood for a while and looked out across the waving grass, trying to imagine a happier time when Megan wandered the meadow, gathering her plants and flowers, when the young Joanie and Lauren and Constance laughed and played silly spooky games in the woods, when Britney and Clover and Annie and their friends thought they’d try some magic spells just for fun. When careless love led to little lost souls. They all believed they were in control of their lives, but no one truly was.
Stop trying to control things. Life will happen. It will happen when you least expect it.
And what about Big Mike? I hadn’t forgotten the favor I owed him.
When I slid into the passenger seat, Jerry eyed me. “Okay, what’s up? You look like you’re trying to solve the world’s problems.”
“That’s exactly what I’m doing.”
“Well, stop. You solved Harold’s murder and Eric Levin’s murder and saved Flower of the South. What more do you want?”
What was I thinking? I had Jerry. That was everything, wasn’t it? I laughed and reached for his hand. “Where would I be without you?”
He gave me the full force of those warm gray eyes and leaned over to kiss me. “Lost in the woods.”
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